Mandevilla plant named ‘MANZ0020’

ABSTRACT

A new  Mandevilla  plant named ‘MANZ0020’ particularly distinguished by its large pure white flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage, bushy plant habit with a tendency to produce vines under low light growing conditions and with excellent branching and flower production and fast flowering response.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Mandevillasanderi (Hemsl.) Woodson.

Varietal denomination: ‘MANZ0020’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Mandevilla, botanically known asMandevilla sanderi, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘MANZ0020’.

‘MANZ0020’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas large pure white flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage,bushy plant habit with a tendency to produce vines under low lightgrowing conditions and with excellent branching and flower productionand fast flowering response.

‘MANZ0020’ originates from a hybridization made in a controlled breedingprogram in Amatitlan, Guatemala. The pollinations were made in 2013.

The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as‘DIP-190’ and having large red flowers, a strong vining habit and slowerflowering response.

The male parent of ‘MANZ0020’ was an unpatented, proprietary plantidentified as ‘DIP-195’, with dark red flower color, larger foliage andslower flowering response.

The resulting seeds were sown in March 2014 and ‘MANZ0020’ was selectedas one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross inDecember 2014 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘MANZ0020’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inFebruary 2015 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in June 2015 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘MANZ0020’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘MANZ0020’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for.‘MANZ0020’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effectivefiling date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that mayhave been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date ofthis application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘MANZ0020’directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Mandevilla as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘MANZ0020’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1,a flowering potted plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up ofthe flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in September 2016 in Gilroy,Calif. The plants were growing in large pots outdoors; they were about 6months in age.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘MANZ0020’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘FISRIX WHIT’ ‘MANZ0020’ (Not patented) Foliage size: SmallerLarger Foliage color: Darker Lighter Flowering response: Faster Slower

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth, and habit.—Perennial or sub-shrub, herbaceous            younger stems, woody at base of older stems, semi-upright,            with moderate tendency of developing vines depending on            season and light intensity. Time for producing a commercial,            flowering plant approximately is 12 weeks for one plant in a            quart size container.        -   Plant height.—32 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—32 cm.        -   Plant width.—23 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 16-20 days at about            22 degrees C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting plant.—5 weeks at            about 22 degrees C.        -   Type.—Fibrous, a little fleshy, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N1558D.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement of leaves.—Simple leaf, opposite and decussate.        -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137B.        -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 146B.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 139A.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147B.        -   Length.—6.8-7.5 cm.        -   Width.—3.6-4.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Base shape.—Rounded.        -   Apex shape.—Cuspidate to acuminate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glossy, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glossy, glabrous.        -   Pattern of leaf veins.—Pinnate.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 138B.        -   Color of vein (midrib), lower surface.—RHS 144D.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 138B.        -   Length.—0.6-1.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2-0.25 cm.        -   Petiole, texture.—Glabrous.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching characteristics.—Moderately free branching.        -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—3-4.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 146C.        -   Length of stem.—25-28 cm.        -   Diameter (at about mid-point).—0.35 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—2.3-2.7 cm.        -   Stem, texture.—Smooth and glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type of inflorescence.—Raceme of several flowers, emerging            from nodes of the stem.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—7-9.        -   Blooming habit.—Continuously through the summer months.        -   Quantity of flowers per plant.—About 8 in various stages of            development.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Approximately            8-10 days, depending on temperature.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Peduncle.—        -   Color.—Green, RHS 146C.        -   Length.—2.2-2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.25 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous, somewhat glossy.-   Bud (just before opening/showing color):    -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 145D with irregular tones of RHS 66D.        -   Length.—7.3 cm.        -   Width.—1.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Elongated, spindle shape.-   Immature flower:    -   -   Diameter.—7.5 cm.        -   Vertical diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Color upper surface.—RHS 155D.        -   Color lower surface.—RHS 155D.-   Mature flower:    -   -   Shape.—Funnelform, funnel shaped base, formed by 5 partly            fused petals, with the petal lobes opening outwards, and a            little overlapping.        -   Flower, horizontal diameter.—8.7-9.0 cm.        -   Flower, vertical diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower, diameter of the funnel.—1.6 cm.        -   Flower color, general.—White.        -   Flower color, upper surface.—RHS 155D.        -   Flower color, lower surface.—RHS 155D.        -   Color of the funnel, inner side.—Closest to RHS 9A.        -   Color of the funnel, outside.—RHS 145C.        -   Petal, shape.—Roughly ovate, asymmetric.        -   Petal apex shape.—Cuspidate.        -   Petal base shape.—Fused.        -   Petal margin.—Mainly entire and mildly undulate.        -   Petal length, from the corolla opening.—4.0 cm.        -   Petal width, maximum.—4.4 cm.        -   Corolla, texture of upper surface.—Glabrous, papillose.        -   Corolla, texture of lower surface.—Glabrous, papillose.        -   Pedicel, color.—Light green, RHS 146C.        -   Length.—1.8-2.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.25 cm.        -   Pedicel, texture.—Smooth, glabrous.-   Calyx:    -   -   Form.—5 sepals, closely attached to the base of the flower.        -   Color, visible outer surface.—RHS 146C.        -   Length.—1.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.45 cm.        -   Shape.—Subulate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.-   Reproductive organs:-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—1, with a 5-lobed stigma.        -   Style length.—2.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.05 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 150D.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 144C.        -   Stigma shape.—Five lobed.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 144B.-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamens.—5, surrounding the style and stigma.        -   Filaments.—Fused with the base of the flower.        -   Anther.—Elongated.        -   Anther color.—RHS 162B.        -   Anther length.—1.2 cm.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 4D.        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.-   Fertility/seed set: Has not been observed on this hybrid.-   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been observed on this hybrid.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Mandevilla plantnamed ‘MANZ0020’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.